
£y5f 
s 

.K5S 



I 



ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE. 



REMARKS 



i h , V - • " OF 



MR. KENMTT, OF MISSOURI, 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JANUARY 9, 1856, 

On the election of Speaker and the organization of the House of Repre- 
sentatives, 

^ 



Mr. KENNETT said : 

Mr. Clerk: I move that the resolution limiting debate to speeches of ten 
minutes be rescinded ; and on that motion, as the custom seems to be toler- 
ated by the House, I desire to submit a few remarks upon the condition of things 
here at this moment.* [Cries of " Go on I"] I trust gentlemen will not weary 
with a little talking. If we are to remain here all night — perhaps all day to- 
morrow, as it would seem to be the determination of certain parties we shall 
do — I prefer a Utile " promiscuous spouting" to the dull monotony of constantly 
calling the roll ; but I protest all the time against this compulsory, protracted 
sitting. I would prefer to see gentlemen come fairly up to the scratch, and do 
directly and openly what they thus propose to accomplish by indirection and 
strategy. 

Who are the men, IMr. Clerk, who are voting with tlie Republicans against 
adjournment, determined, as they have declared in caucus, to keep the House 
in session until a Speaker is elected ? The immortal seventy-four — the simon- 
pures, who represent the Administration on this floor! And do they hope, if 
they succeed \\\ forcing xiw election, that the honorable gentleman from Illinois 
will be the occupant of that vacant chair? By no means I They have not the 
remotest idea of such a result. The gentleman from Virginia, [Mr. McMullin,] 
just now, in remonstrating against this night session, charged distinctly upon 
his party friends, the Democracy, that they had no such hope. Do they intend 
to come over to Soulh Ameiica.' They would, doubtless, indignantly repel 
such an imputation. The conclusion is then inevitable, that they are holding 
the House in session to-night with the liope of gaining a partisan advantage, 
infuhiro, by the election of the gentleman from Massachusetts, [iMr. Banks.] 
If this be so, I repeat, it would be better for them to come out like men — come 
boldly up — and vote for the plurality rule, thus electing JNIr. Bakks, and taking 
the responsibility before the country. By so doing, they will save us the repeti- 
tion of the pathetic interludes takinij place around us, of members making their 
nuncupative wills, bequeathing to the House the last words of wisdom that fall, 
like droppings from the sanctuary, from lips that may never again be oj)encd to 

* Nine o'clock, p. m. 



.5 



express their preference for Banks, Richardson, or Fuller. [Great laughter.] 
We shall be spared the affecting leave-takings and explanations of those whose 
duty to their " families and friends," compels them to pair-off, and go home to 
supper, " with what appetite they may," rather than remain here to test the 
question o^ physical endurance. Well, sir, I am not very strong — and as this is 
the first time 1 have attempted to address the House, so also it may be the last 
— and I had, perhaps, better occupy the time that remains to me in giving some 
reasons why I have stood, and still intend to stand, by the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania, in casting my vote for Speaker. But first, I must say, that /have 
no long telegraphic dispatches from home to read to the House, after the man- 
ner of "honorable members from Ohio. Nor have I even a letter to produce, 
announcing that my friends and constituents are delighted with the course 1 
have been pursuing. I Lake it for granted, however, the people of my district 
are satisfied to leave their interests in my hands, and are content with my con- 
duct, or they would have complained, which they have not. This, at least, 
seems to me a fair inference. They, as I suppose, consider my action so mani- 
festly right, that it needs no backing up. It is only in doubtful cases that public 
opinion is made to order, and furnished in quantifies to suit ! 

It is very true, sir, and I might say " pity 'tis 'tis true," that our prospect of 
electing my friend, the honorable gentleman from Pennsylvania, is not very flat- 
tering. But we have the consolation, like the good old lady in Missouri, who 
raised no corn year before last, of knowing thai none of our neighbors are any 
better off. The other divisions, or factions, or what else you may choose to 
call them, on this floor, stand respectively in the same category, and are sat- 
isfied to do so — unless I except my friends, the Democrats, who do not seem 
content to be ranked with other people ; but, if I may be permitted to remark, 
without intending anything discourteous to them, they, like the Pharisees of 
old, wrap themselves in their cloaks of political rirrhteousness, and devoutly 
thank God that they are not as other people are. [Renewed laughter.] I say 
they seem to ihankGod that they are better than other men — better than the 
one hundred and fifty other men who stand in opposition to them on this floor. 
The fact cannot be disputed, that more than one hundred and fifty of the two 
hundred and thirty members of this House have been elected as opponents of 
the present Administration of the National Government. It may be said, and 
truly, that that Opposition differ among themselves — that they are not united, 
and cannot unite, in their efforts to elect a Speaker. But surely it does not 
follow, for that reason, either that the friends of Mr. Richardson are themselves 
entitled to the speakership, or that they are released from all responsibility in 
electing that officer. They will not be held blameless in the premises, I can 
assure °them, though they may claim exemption on the ground that they are a 
larger body i\\<xn the conservatives who are voting for Mr. Fuller. The Banks 
men make a larger party in the House than they, and, if this ground is good, 
should have the Speaker. Is it because they are a small minority, these Dem- 
ocratic gentlemen should be released from their share of blame for non-or- 
ganization ? We can say to them, as would an Irishman under the circum- 
stances, we are twice as small as you. [Great laughter.] And to go still further 
down, the half dozen outsiders who have been voting from the commencement 
for almost anybody in general and nobody in particular, can still less be saddled, 
by this mode "of reasoning, with any responsibility in the premises. It is true, 
some of their especial friends are of a different way of thinking; but this is a 
family quarrel in which I do not choose to interfere ; not exactly, perhaps, for 
the same reason the woman gave for not interfering between the bear and her 
husband, viz: because she did not care which whipped, (my sympathies being 




in tliis case altogether with the weaker parly, who are so stubbornly resisting the 
outside pi-essure,) but because it is prudent to keep clear oi faviily jars. 

And now, Mr. Clerk, seriously let me ask, what has this party — the Demo- 
cratic, upon which, as I contend, the great responsibility docs rest of organizing 
the House — done towards eflecling that object t They have ofl'ered us the highly 
Ijonorable gentleman from Illinois, [Mr. Richardson,] my friend, and one for 
whom, under certain circumstances, I could and would have voted with the 
greatest pleasure. I have not required that that gentleman should be taken 
down, and some other put in his place, in order that I might vote for a Democrat 
for Speaker. I believe he is amongst the best, if not the noblest Roman, of 
them all — my neighbor — a western man — devoted to western interests; and I 
could have voted for him with great pleasure, and would still, could my vote 
elect him in opposition to a Republican or Abolitionist, had I now, or ever, 
since the first attempt to organize the House, been afforded a fair opportunity. 
But neither I, nor one of the friends with whom I act, have ever had either such 
opportunity or a reasonable excuse for doing so. These gentlemen have elevated 
their candidate upon a platform intended to be inaccessible to me and my friends, 
by which they say tliey intend to stand, and upon which, if necessary, they pro- 
pose to die. They have tauntingly told us they would not even hold out a 
helping hand from that platform to lift us upon it, though we should desert our 
Hag and our principles, and make an effort to get there ; but we must crawl xtp 
as best we may, at the risk of breaking our necks in the attempt ; and even then 
must come with ropes round our necks, ready to be iianged for our pains. 
[Laughter.] Rather severe terms for the doubtful pleasure of taking a bitter 
pill ; for such most of us would consider a vote for a Democrat under any cir- 
cumstances — an alternative only tolerable as a last resort. If we had known 
our friends were determined to be so hard on us, and that the resolution of their 
caucus was to be binding here, and to be henceforth inexorably inforced, for 
one I should have brought my coffm up with me to-day, and had it conveniently 
at hand in the lobby, [great laughter,] as I too intend still to stand by my friend, 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, [Mr. Fuller,] and die in my tracks, if need 
be. I vote for him because he is against agitation — sound on the slavery ques- 
tion — and a conservative, Union-loving statesman, whose ability for the place is 
undoubted, and whose high character and spotless integrity would insure im- 
partiality in the discharge of the duties of the position. I do not object to him 
on account of his antecedents, however they may slick in the throats of some. 
His present record, I am sure, will stand the test with my constituents. 

But, recurring to the immediate question of organization, Isay the Democratic 
party [as they contend, the only national party of the country) have not shown 
such anxiety for its organization as was demanded of them by their position as 
supporters of the Administration, now some three years in power. I say a 
greater responsibility does, for this reason, (that they have possession of the 
Government, and are bound to carry it on,) rest with them than with any other 
party or body of men in this House ; and that they have not done what was 
demanded of them under the circumstances, to wit: made every effort in their 
power consistent with sound principle to effect an organization; on the contrary, 
they have made no effort whatever at conciliation — not the first step in the right 
direction towards securing this desirable result. lam willing that this assertion 
shall go forth to the country. I desire that it may ; and I think, if time and my 
strength would permit, I could sustain the proposition satisfactorily. Have they 
offere°d us as a compromise man my colleague, Mr.CARUTHERS, the friend at my 
side, an old-line Whig, now acting with themselves, and voting for Mr. Rich- 
ardson, as he thinks it is his duty and has a right to do in the present crisis of 



llillSSlP'^ CONGRESS 




affairs; or, on the other hand, have they preset q 0j« p™'"''M -er, 

aiioiher old-line Whig, who has been acting wiu. .._ **^' 859 6 *• mal 
Americans on this floor, who, though he is with is not one o/'them, anu, mere- 
fore, ought to be exceptionable to them, and might have been so to a majority 
of the House ? I ask, have they ofl^ered either of these, or made any other effort, 
in the spirit of conciliation or compromise towards an organization? They have 
not, and the country will hold them accountable for their shortcomings, and 
responsible for resulting ills. 

The CLERK. The gentleman's time has expired. [Cries of " Go on !" " Go 
on!"] 

The CLERK. If there is no objection, the gentleman will proceed with his 
remarks. 

Mr. KENNETT. I will not trespass further on the time of the House ; I 
have done. 



Printed at the Office of the Congressional Globe.J 



i^ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



I ill mil II :l;l ill: Jill! 

011 897 859 6 ^ 



